Past, Present & Futures of Governance of Migration and Diversity
29 October 2025 | Theatre Walhalla & Fenix Migration Museum, Rotterdam
Organizers:
- Prof. Peter Schoten - GMD Academic Director
- Dr. Maria Schiller - GMD Managing Director
- Alex Huang - GMD Project Manager/Alumni
On 29 October 2025, the LDE Governance of Migration & Diversity (GMD) Centre celebrated its 10th anniversary at Theatre Walhalla and the Fenix Migration Museum in Rotterdam — a milestone marking ten years of education, research, and collaboration across and beyond Leiden, Delft, and Erasmus universities. The conference brought together over 200 participants, including alumni, students, academics, policymakers, and practitioners. Together, participants reflected on the past, present, and future of migration and diversity governance, while envisioning what the next decade might hold for the GMD Centre.
Words by: Alex Huang
Rethinking the Global Landscape of Migration Studies
Photo Credit: Nesie Junyi Wang
The day began with an impactful plenary session titled “How to Globalize the Study of Migration and Diversity Governance”, moderated by Prof. dr. Peter Scholten. The session featured contributions from Prof. dr. Adla Ragab (Cairo University), Prof. dr. Ahmet İçduygu (Koç University, MiReKoc), Prof. dr. Sawsan Abdulrahim (American University of Beirut), and Alex Huang (GMD project manager/alumnus from Taiwan). Read more about the speakers
The global insights shared by the keynote speakers enriched the conversation, urging participants to expand their perspectives beyond the limitations of national borders when addressing migration and diversity. Their reflections emphasized how adopting an international and interdisciplinary lens transforms the field — from viewing migration as a crisis to understanding it as part of broader global transformations, including geopolitical, climate, and economic shifts.
Together, the speakers called for building a more inclusive and multipolar migration research community. A community that acknowledges inequalities in global knowledge production and actively creates space for perspectives and partnerships from the Global South. They also invited GMD to take a leading role in equitable and relational knowledge exchange, rethinking how concepts, data, and governance models travel across regions.
The opening plenary affirmed GMD's potential in the next decade to leverage international networks, connect diverse perspectives and epistemologies, and foster dialogue beyond national and European boundaries.
12 Interdisciplinary Panels — Connecting Research, Practice, and Community
Photo Credit: Nesie Junyi Wang
Throughout the day, the conference hosted three rounds of parallel sessions featuring 12 interdisciplinary panels that showcased the Centre’s innovative approach to connecting research and practice. Topics ranged from refugee and migrant-led governance, local anti-discrimination efforts, and diaspora engagement to historical and timely perspectives on migration discourse. Additionally, sessions addressed co-creating ways to shape migration dialogues and shared experiences from PhD candidates in migration research. Read more about the panels
Photo Credit: Nesie Junyi Wang
Among the day’s highlights were the Alumni Panel—bringing together graduates now working across various institutions—and the Student Panel, organized in collaboration with the Fenix Migration Museum. Both sessions captured what makes GMD unique: a community where different generations of members meet, exchange experiences, and learn from one another, turning the dialogue between education, research, and societal engagementinto meaningful impact. Read more about the panels
With 12 dynamic interdisciplinary panels and enthusiastic contributions from alumni and students, the conference transformed theory into vibrant collaboration. It reaffirmed GMD’s role as a community where knowledge, experience, and practice unite across generations and cultures.
Ten Years of GMD — Looking Back and Moving Forward
The closing plenary session, titled “Ten Years of GMD: Past, Present, & Futures,” brought together GMD founders Peter Scholten, Marlou Schrover, and Reinout Kleinhans, along with alumni and partners such as Amir Ali Abadi, Imke van Garderen (FNV), and Luke van der Wouw (GMD Writing Fellow). Representing various generations and professional backgrounds, the speakers reflected on the Centre’s evolution—from an ambitious interdisciplinary education initiative to a dynamic platform that connects institutions, disciplines, and communities within the LDE network and beyond borders.
The session also featured the presentation of the GMD Seed Fund Awards 2025–2026, recognizing innovative projects and early to mid-career researchers who embody the Centre’s mission to link academic research with community-driven approaches and societal impact. The LDE GMD Seed Funding aims to foster collaboration within the LDE community — encouraging researchers to engage with GMD, build cross-university partnerships, and cultivate shared learning experiences. Read more about the awarded seedfund projects
Photo Credit: Nesie Junyi Wang
In their closing remarks, Prof. Dr. Wim van de Doel (LDE Dean) and Prof. Dr. Marjolijn Antheunis (ESSB Dean and GMD Steering Group Chair) highlighted the exciting potential for building on current momentum. They emphasized that by fostering international collaboration, strengthening interdisciplinary partnerships, and actively engaging students and alumni, GMD can continue to develop as a vibrant hub where knowledge and practice intersect.
This approach will foster meaningful dialogue on one of the most important issues of our time: migration and diversity.
A Celebration of Community
The conference concluded with a celebratory dinner and reunion — an evening of lively discussions, music, and reflection, coinciding with the Dutch election night. The atmosphere captured what GMD has come to represent over the past decade: more than a master’s and research centre, it is a community of people committed to understanding and shaping migration and diversity governance through collaboration and care.
Photo Credit: Nesie Junyi Wang
Looking Ahead
The 10th Anniversary Conference reaffirmed that GMD’s strength lies in its ability to connect research, education, and practice across borders. As the Centre enters its next decade, it will continue to draw on its international networks to link migration and diversity governance to the wider global challenges shaping movement today — from climate change and economic transformation to social and political transformation. By fostering inclusive dialogue and globally informed research, GMD aims to continue expanding the boundaries of how migration and diversity are understood, governed, practised, and experienced — in the Netherlands and beyond.
Special thanks to all the panel organizers and speakers: Prof. Adla Ragab, Prof. Ahmet İçduygu, Prof. Sawsan Abdulrahim, Prof. Dr. Wim van de Doel (LDE Dean), Prof. Dr. Marjolijn Antheunis (ESSB Dean and GMD Steering Group Chair), Marlou Schrover, and Reinout Kleinhans. We would also like to extend our gratitude to alumni and partners Maria Kohutova, Amir Ali Abadi, Imke van Garderen (FNV), Alejandra Martínez Tamayo, Medha Gupta (GMD Student Board), and Luke van der Wouw (GMD Writing Fellow). Additionally, heartfelt thanks go to all GMD student board members and alumni who contributed to making the 10th Anniversary GMD Conference such a meaningful and memorable event.
